Come Together
by Lux
Summary: A twist on the Max-in-heat notion...
1. Confusions

****

Title: Come Together  
Author: Lux  
Email: vivien_rosebud@hotmail.com  
Rating: Mmmmm… better say R to be on the safe side, I don't know where this will lead ;)  
Disclaimer: Don't own Dark Angel… just influenced heavily by it, damn those cool fight scenes and possibilities…  
Summary: A twist on the Max-in-heat notion.

Spoilers: Up to episode Brainiac.  
Category: Max and Alec

Author's Notes: This story came to me after reading far to many Max-in-heat fics and listening to John Lennon sing Come Together… Set: After episode Gill Girl. Dedication: Jensen Ackles… an inspirational boy *g*

Part 1

Alec needed something - he wasn't sure what, he had never felt this way before… but his flesh crawled and his agitation went up another notch with this sudden… urge.

This urge for… more heat.

It had started last night… after the blonde; Asha had left, after her daily visit since the shooting. His arm wasn't even a concern anymore, but he worried that this was a reaction against the painkillers that she had given him. 

Alec shook his head that couldn't be right. Heat and Asha?

She had been really nice, careful, like a sister… not like Max would have been, she would have been brutal…

Warmth flared up in his stomach again and he hurried to information. To Logan's place.

Original had said Max was there, she would be able to help him, which is what she does, help… and he desperately needed help with this yearning…

*****

When Alec came through the door Max could tell something was up. She felt his eyes darting, consuming everything in sight.

"We have a situation…" he began his body on edge to match his usual arrogance.

Logan grinned at Alec, I could tell what he was thinking, and I couldn't help but be smug as well. Alec's heart wasn't as well hidden as Alec assumed, Logan and I knew it… and Alec was, much to his chagrin working it out as well.

"I think I'm getting sick." Typical selfish bastar-

"We don't get sick." I interrupted sitting down. Introducing Mr. Exaggeration.

Sure he hadn't complained about being shot a couple of weeks ago, but he had left with Asha, and she had seemed to shown him more than was necessary concern. If he had sparked her interested Max thought that she was barking up the wrong tree, Alec would never really like anyone. They would all be temporary - like that blonde in the club, fleeting… a momentary glance, never a focus. However Max had to acknowledge that she didn't know much about Alec's past… had there been someone? Had Alec ever absorbed anyone? Absorbed was the right word for Alec, and Max grinned at her choice. 

"What's happening Alec?" Logan.

"I'm jumpy, my temperature is haywire and I keep seeing things move in slow motion…" He trailed off, making me uncomfortable being the object of his temporary gaze.

Logan grinned then glanced nervously at me with a sudden thought. "Wait here - Max I need to talk to you in the kitchen I -"

"No way information boy." Alec intervened following us into the kitchen.

"Alec you can't be around Max." Logan said firmly turning around on his bionic legs to face Alec. 

"Why the hell not?" Alec's stance was threatening; he seemed to be hurt…

"BECAUSE YOU'RE IN HEAT!" Logan barked for the first time in his life. Alec's eyes darted around the room, I knew that look - he wanted escape.

"Alec wait-" I shouted on deaf ears as he fled the room, smashing through the window. I looked out the window after him, the power and speed was something I had never witnessed before, the dynamics of his body seemed fluid, perfect… and he was gone.

Logan and I looked out the window, both in awe. "He didn't believe your diagnosis…"

"No… he didn't want to hurt anyone…" Logan replied. "He understood immediately."

We had moved closer unconsciously… I backed away quickly with Logan registering it at the same time, also moving away.

"What can we do for him?"

"What did you do?" Logan countered his stare firm.

"I dealt." I said softly remembering how hard it was, concern and solidarity for Alec forming in my soul.

"He must have feline DNA, just like you…" Logan put things together far to quickly.

That would explain why we were breeding partners at Manticore, I'm not to bad at putting things together myself, but I don't think Logan needs to know the breeding-partners thing though…

"I better call Asha.." Logan's mind was working way to fast, it was what was so good about him, but also what was wrong, he didn't make mistakes. Alec and I had stuffed up with the mate of the manticore-mermaid and Logan had smoothed it out… Alec had been grumpy at himself for jumping the gun; I had felt Alec's grouchiness because I had felt the same way. 

"Why call her?"

"Because she wouldn't be able to defend herself against him." 

"Why do you assume Alec will go after her?"

"Max…" Logan spoke tiredly, that tone annoyed me much more this time, he always did this, assume the worst from manticore 'products'.

"You do what you feel you need to Logan, I'm going after Alec, he's not 100% in this state and White might get him."

"That's the least of your problems Max…" 


	2. Discussions

Part 2

My face flushed and I awkwardly asked what he meant by that.

"We need to find out why a male is in heat." Logan replied heatedly.

'A male'? It was Alec… oh he meant the fact Alec shouldn't even be in heat.

"Maybe you're wrong Logan… maybe he isn't in heat… maybe he's right, that he's actually sick – the bullet shot, maybe they infected him." I was grasping at straws, but I felt I was still showing more logic that Logan.

Logan gave me his 'I know more than you do' look…

I sat down, but I was hoping Logan would do a 'short version', he knew Manticore products didn't like to wait. "Tell me everything you know about Alec. So I can figure out why you think a male in heat is worse than White."

"First tell me about how you met Alec at Manticore."

"Why?"

His patience seemed more lacking than mine did. "Max…"

"Okay, okay… we were partnered."

"Partnered." He repeated. I nodded and he continued. "As in…"

Alec was in trouble, this was no time to play silly games, I'll just show Logan how mature I am by speaking about this grown up like. "Sex Logan, we were breeding partners."

The wind seemed knocked out of him and for a minute it was knocked out of me as well. Alec and I had a connection that Manticore had made, Logan had assumed, and I was being to realise. 

It was uncomfortable, but Logan was as ever the grown-up one. "I thought there had to have been a program of sorts… Max… you have tiger DNA, so does Alec… Asha took a sample for me when he got shot."

"Why did you do that?" He knew 'that' was many - not telling me, taking the sample in the first place… the list was so long - I would see what he thought I meant.

"Because I wanted to find out as much as possible about him, so I could predict Alec…"

"Predictions would be a waste of time on Alec." I muttered and rolled further into the couch. "Just tell me Logan - everything you've found out."

"Zack had lion DNA… and came into heat…"

Too fast. "What?"

"When Zack was in the hospital, about to become Adam, he went into heat… only problem was he-"

"Felt confused because there wasn't a transgenic lady-lion…" It was beginning to make more sense. When I was in heat, I was chaotic; confused because I didn't have a destination… tangled because Alec wasn't around… my exact match… "Well I guess Adam will just put it down to hormones…" I nodded in defeat… I could tell what was coming next…

"Alec knows you're his perfect counterpart… he understood, and ran away from you Max…" Alec my 'perfect'… he ran away… from me, his equal… my heart felt pained.

Logan stood and went over to the window. "God knows why he didn't warn you." I could think of a billion reasons, but most of those sadden me.

"Why is White less of a threat than Alec?"

"Because Alec doesn't inspire confidence. Because Alec has found his 'mate'… if you were put in the same situation we could handle it, but Alec… he'll only think of himself…" Logan said this like he was stating the obvious. I thought he was wrong.

"He ran away Logan…" Introducing Lady Logic.

"Where did he ran to though Max?"

No… he wouldn't run to her…

******

"Asha."

Jerking from surprise I saw Alec at my door.

"I need your help."

"Your arm…"

"No." he replied abruptly, rubbing his eyebrow his tone softened. "It's fine… I need you to um,… tie me up."

This has got to be one of the strangest lines I had ever heard. I raised my eyebrow; he was going to have to do a lot better than that.

"Not like that…" For a moment he grinned, and I was about to whack him over the head, but his face became very serious. "For um protection. I'm going to be ah uncontrollable for a couple of days, and I don't what to ur… hurt anyone." My eyebrows must have raised further because he continued hastily. "Please Asha… hide me, tie me, and keep your lips shut about me until I figure out what I should do." He said this despairingly… like he already knew what he should do but it would hurt to do it.

I looked over this desolate boy with new eyes. This was serious… "You're not in trouble are you? You're not planning on leaving Seattle are you?"

Alec's attention was drawn back to me quickly and he looked like I had hit the nail on the head. "Plans… plans should be carried out… it's only the weak that let others influence them." He momentarily shook his head and looked me dead in the eye. "I'm not in trouble… but I will be if you don't help me."

*****

Alec hated asking for help… from anybody… Manticore had taught him that trait well. Seattle had taught him that, the programming they do doesn't let you develop individually… you are a drone, and Seattle showed him this, by showing difference… and Max had shown him Seattle.

Max.

Everytime he thought about her his fingers would tingle, he couldn't think about her, however he didn't what to think about leaving Seattle either.

It was home… because it held Max. Another bolt of electricity flashed through his body… he tried to ignore it, but ended up almost savouring it. 

Max was his home… his mind needed to think about her, and his body yearned to touch her.

Alec told himself it was because he was 'in heat' that he was feeling this way towards her, but he ending up just groaning in desire and feeling sorry for himself. He had known this would eventually happen, he was angry at himself, why did he ever think he could control this, work up the courage to tell Max so they could solve it, together, naked… A bolt of lust hit him hard and the restraints held fast. Asha had tied up someone before; he grinned and then lapsed back into confusion. Why wasn't Max here? Beside him… with him…

He should have left the country as soon as Manticore had been destroyed. But he had followed Max, and had found Logan, and with that all his hopes destroyed along with Manticore. He tried to think about the Gill-Couple that he had helped saved, but only thought more about the 'couple' side of things…

Alec squeezed his eyes shut and tried not to think about how underneath that sadomasochistic leather and that tough-girl image, his other half was soft. 


	3. Admissions

Part 3

Max's mind buzzed, she wanted to find Alec, but at the same time she knew she should leave him alone, that she was the only person he shouldn't and didn't want to see. Max worried though that she wouldn't ever see him again. 

Logan was in the Kitchen making himself a tea. She could sense his concern, but at the same time she felt he misunderstood what was happening drastically. Max wasn't completely sure what was happening either, but something told her nothing was as it seems, and that White was less dangerous, infact she thought he was more involved with what was happening to Alec then Logan presumed Asha had at the moment. That also pissed her off, Logan had called Asha, she had answered, said she was fine, hadn't seen Alec… but Logan still thought he heard something in her voice, he still didn't even begin to think of the possibility that he was wrong. 

"Asha should be here by now." Logan stated as he came into the living room. Max's distant thoughts on the subject were brought close by Logan's assertion…

I smiled. "Quit worrying…"

Logan looked at me strangely. "This isn't the time to keep cool, got knows what Alec is doing…"

"Maybe we should concentrate on helping Alec…"

"I'm still working on finding out exactly what we're dealing with Max…"

I sighed, then beamed. "I know… let me help… I'm brains and a babe." I saw my smile mirrored in his handsome face, which gave me comfort.

Logan wandered over to me and gave me his tea… I didn't correct him, I needed liquid, my body was edgy, I really craved a shower, felt dirty and wanted to be clean, in my bed and asleep, I was tired… Logan had been relaxing; thinking about Alec was making me unnerved.

*****

Alec pulled on the restraints and Asha padded his sweaty forehead with water. "Hold in there man…" Asha whispered becoming worried, she wasn't strong enough to force Alec to stay if his self control slipped, she knew that the robes were really only temporary. 

In the past hour though Asha had discovered she had a fair idea of what was happening to Alec, and others…

Logan had called with the 'special' tone in his voice. She had been doing extra work for Logan, that revolved around Alec, Max, Manticore and White and she really wanted Logan to confirm her suspicions. 

Asha really didn't want to leave Alec alone, but in his temporary sanity he had given her the number of a guy called Joshua, must be one of Alec's work buddies she reasoned, she only hoped this Joshua was strong…

She had to keep Alec's secret for as long as possible from Logan, Logan would do what was best, usually, but when it concerned Max his judgement was clouded. She had watched Logan mourn Max, she had watched Logan guard Max… almost like an older brother. However for all of Logan's big brain cells he still couldn't understand that Max was a big girl and that she lets her emotions rule, the complete opposite to logical Logan, and that she is the one that is usually right.

Asha had called Joshua, and she had some difficulty communicating, she didn't think Joshua had ever used a phone before… Alec had said he was foreign, so to use simple language, but the conversion was very strange, after that is she finally got to speak with him, Asha was inclined to think he hadn't realised he had to pick up the handle.

"Hello, hi, is this Joshua, Alec's work friend?"

"No, this is a tel-le-phone, works with Alec though, not friend though, Alec hates tel-le-phones, interrupt him from thinking."

"Um, no the person I'm talking to… you, are you Joshua, a friend of Alec?"

"Yes, friend of Alec… sometimes."

"I'm a friend of Alec sometimes too." Asha had shaken her head; she was beginning to adopt Joshua-speak. "My name is Asha. I need your help."

"Joshua's help?"

"Yes, Alec is sick and we need to keep him away from Logan and Max."

"Max and Logan always sick of Alec, he doesn't keep away though. Good luck Asha."

"No! Don't put the telephone down… um Alec is unwell, I need you to come here to look after him."

"Where you?"

*******

"Asha what took you so long?" Joshua, the lovable pup.

"Traffic." I sighed. "What's up?"

Logan and Max walked me quickly to the couch and stood over me.

"We need to discuss something." Logan began.

"We need to discuss someone." Max corrected glaring slightly at Logan.

"Yes someone-"

"In trouble?" I wasn't going to give then an inch. They knew stuff, my extra work had lead to something and they weren't going to share the outcome. I grew hurt, which soon turned to annoyance.

"Yes." Max replied before Logan could say anything she continued. "That work you did for Logan, the Alec sample, it points to the fact that Alec is in heat." Max said this resignedly, I could tell she didn't want to play games at all, not like Logan, he would never had said it so simply or completely. Max must really care about Alec, to show me all her cards.

Logan sat down, clearly pissed off. He then said, "I haven't worked it out fully yet, we don't know everything."

Max looked shocked. "Well that's an interesting confession, about time!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Logan counted.

"Nothing." Max replied jadedly, for the first time I noticed how tired and weak she looked, this was draining her, she looked lost. That was probably what was pissing Logan off, he didn't have all the answers, and he wasn't sure probably if he wanted them all.

"I know." I said quietly. Their attention snapped back on me. "I've seen him." I had caved so quickly, hopefully this would help all three of them I reasoned not wanting to reprimand myself just yet.

"Talk." Max said siting close like I had all the answers, waiting like the next words out of my mouth would make or break her.

Logan moved and sat on the coffee table. "What happened?"

"Nothing." I replied and Max relaxed somewhat.

"He's so confused." I said wearily. "He knows what's happening, but doesn't at the same time, if that makes sense. He asked me to tie him up, I've left him in Joshua's care, probably the best thing for him, Joshua's strong and smart, Alec said that… I now believe him."

"Where is he?" Max asked trembling a little.

"She can't tell you that." Logan said, you could tell he was shocked by Alec's behaviour, also in awe of it to a certain degree. "It's best you don't know."

"Why?" Max asked him with watery eyes.

Logan looked into her beautiful face and he understood, I understood aswell, the only thing stopping Max from helping Alec was Logan.

I looked at Max. "He's in the basement of my apartment building."

Tbc…

Thanks for the support. I like writing from different perspectives; sorry if this confuses some readers, but I think it shows more insight into what is happening. Oh and yes I have change part 1 & 2 slightly… mainly gramma.


End file.
